An Observational and Warning System for the Aquaculture Sector in European Waters

This work presents the steps towards the design and implementation of a marine observatory providing current and forecasted oceanic conditions relevant to the aquaculture sector, with particular focus on “Extreme Marine Events” such as marine heat waves, deoxygenation and storm surges. Examples of successful implementation of these guidelines in the framework of the EuroSea project are presented for two aquaculture sites: Deenish Island in Ireland and El Campello in Spain. In-situ measurements, remote-sensing observations and model forecasts are jointly provided to the end users. The process starts with the interaction with the stakeholders to understand their main needs and concerns, and is followed by the design of the software architecture that carries out the data acquisition, post-processing and visualization in an open-access web platform. User feedback is of paramount importance during the whole process to ensure that the services being offered in the end actually match the needs of the aquaculture sector.